Across Four Summers into a New Century
by HeartandImagination
Summary: A story that will span the lifetime of our Fringe heroes, from the end of Season four and into the future that Walter had achieved.
1. Firmly Grounded

**Late Winter, 2012**

It was all so surreal to her; to sit in a hospital bed, the bright light of the day shining through the institutional-yellow-hued curtains. Never had Olivia ever felt so glad to see the sunshine and to feel the warmth of its embrace. _Out of the darkness, and into the light._ Although she had always been a fan of the sunrise—as she had admitted to Peter in an early morning snuggle, in another time and place—her gratitude was truly sincere on this day. Only a few days ago, she was dead. Stone. Cold. Dead. She never really thought much about the faith she had grown up with until times like these, which was kind of cowardly in a way; to deny the existence of a creator until convenient—until one has been put into mortal peril and through some seemingly divine intervention, has been given a second chance. Or in her case… well, she had lost count. She waited not-so-patiently for some final test results, and then Peter could take her home.

_Home. Our home. Because we are never going to be separated again._

From there, the both of them could regroup, recover, and plan for a future. This whole ordeal had made both of the thirty-somethings ready for some serious talks that would assuredly alter and cement their relationship.

The last moments aboard that ship with William Bell and the Bishops were a blur to her. Walter and Peter's tandem expressions of tear-stained relief were all that she could really recall other than straight-up darkness. Peter had loyally sat with her, as she recovered, his presence a great comfort to her. He rarely left her side, only when the sympathetic, yet busy nurses shooed him away. Her love had gripped her hand so hard once as they talked, that she had to remind him of his relative size and strength compared to her own. It was as if he was having a difficult time believing that she was alive and still with him. Olivia could not blame him. After what two universes had done to them, the wary man had to be anxiously waiting for the Etch-A-Sketch to be shaken up again.

She knew that there were still demons in his head from the harrowing ordeal that he had yet to deal with, and she dared not press him yet for too many details. Peter had _that look _about him; the one that said _'I know some things that will upset you, and we'll get around to it… eventually.' _By this point, Olivia was accepting of his delaying tactic due to current circumstances and the fact that he would spill it all out to her in earnest, when he was ready. Most likely it would occur when he arrived at the point of complete emotional and physical exhaustion. She had learned that as frustrating as it could be, this is was how Peter dealt with things that upset him, particularly when it involved a loved one and his deeper emotions and fears. When he wasn't performing an Action Jackson doll death-grip on her hands as he held them, his more tender touches made her relax, and she could feel his love for her pulsing through his veins with each beat of his heart. It felt good to have someone care for her, as much as she had fought it in every timeline.

* * *

_"I do. I care for you."_

_"I thought that was the point of having people in your life; to have someone to talk to when you're scared."_

_"I've never met anyone who can do the things that you do."_

After a week-long hospital stay, Olivia was definitely ready to blow the proverbial popsicle stand. She may have been able to leave earlier, but Walter had made a fuss about the place taking part in "drive-thru healthcare," and he insisted that she stayed for observation for a couple of extra days.

* * *

_"Olivia died after all! So of course she needs some extra pampering! She's just not somebody here for a simple stubbed toe, you ninnies! And money is of no object, if that is your concern, which always is in the days of HMOs! Just bill any extra to Nina Sharp! Make her open her mothballed purse to do some good for once. Oh, and please feed the poor girl some proper food. That pistachio pudding is dreadful…"_

The elder Bishop had his own issues to deal with in the whole matter. He could barely look at her.

_"I'm not sure what to say, Olive…" Walter nervously clutched his hat and his misty eyes slowly rose up to meet Olivia's gaze. "It was a gamble, and unlike Peter, I am not a betting man. I performed rough calculations in my head, and plugged them into a complex equation. Once the results seemed satisfactory, I had to hope that I did not make an error in my use of some key functions in the process. One small error in judgment could have cost you your life, my dear." He sniffled, and continued, with a wavering, cracking voice, "And Peter would have never forgiven me. The world may have been saved, but I would have lost mine in the process. Which I see as a fitting punishment given what was done to you as a child. In the overwritten timeline, especially…"_

_"Walter… stop. If I knew that my 'death' was the only way to save 2 universes from destruction, then I'd volunteer. Peter would have understood once the matter was explained to him. After all, he essentially made that choice himself, as well, if you recall."_

_"Olive… You did not see the utter look of defeat that was on my son's face, as he sobbed and held your body to his. If you had not come back, I'm pretty sure that he would have done me in. He would have tossed me off the ship at the very least. I know all too well how utter useless despair can be quickly diverted to destructive rage."_

* * *

She sat on the edge of the uncomfortable hospital bed, and kicked her legs back and forth, just taking simple pleasure from being able to do so. The beautiful tulips that Peter had brought a few days ago still graced her nightstand, and she was happy to see them stay vibrant for so long. The healing woman sighed in boredom just as her doctor-in-charge entered her room.

"Hello, Olivia. Seems you can't wait to get out of here."

The corner of her mouth upturned and she chuckled, "There's a whole lot of living that I need to do."

As the doctor reviewed his notes, he smiled, and flipped to a specific page on his clipboard. "Well, you may need to sit down for a moment and hold that thought."

Olivia froze; her legs stiffened.

_No, come on! I feel great! I just want to go home. Be with Peter. Talk to Nina and Rachel. I just want to live, and be normal._

Sensing his mishap from her uncomfortable posture, the Doctor was quick to explain his reasoning before Olivia could possibly pass out before he could give her some GOOD news.

"Oh! No! It's nothing bad. Your scans show no damage at all, which is amazing, given the normal extent of such injuries. I also can't find anything out of the ordinary with your blood at all. Except for one thing, that we should have caught earlier, but it didn't show up, which is odd…"

"Is it Cortexiphan?"

"No, Olivia. That substance we were asked to test for is not in your bloodstream. However, hCG is."

Olivia's breath hitched.

"This means you're pregnant. Levels indicate about 6-8 weeks."

Green eyes closed as she processed what she had just been told, and the thoughts raced at digital speed.

_Not only did I survive a near-death experience, but I was also carrying a child at the time. But how? Silly, I know how… But I was careful, wasn't I? The math let's see... conception must have occurred while Peter and I took off for Vermont a couple of months back, and not much of the skiing that we had intended to do, was done. The rug in front of the fireplace had seen the majority of the action that weekend… Cortexiphan… Did it counteract my birth control? Forget the how. I don't care. Shit. Is the baby OK?_

As he sensed her confusion and concern, the Doctor's voice snapped her back into the moment.

"The baby is fine from what we can tell for now, but you should follow-up with an obstetrician as soon as possible. Do you want to take a moment? Maybe call the father?"

_The father. What is Peter going to think about all of this? Although we've never broached the subject directly, he seemed pleased with the suggestion that our future home includes a nursery. But that was before this. Before my fears became even more justified._

"The younger man who has been visiting me… I don't know if you've seen him, but he's my boyfriend—the child's father."

"Oh yes, he's been pacing around out in the visitor's room like an anxious guard. Look, I know he wants to get you out of here badly, and you probably want to let him know your news, so if you'll just sign these release papers, I'll get him for you."

* * *

It took everything in him to keep Peter from bounding into Olivia's room to smother her with hugs and kisses. Never had he felt so grateful. He had considered Olivia's survival as some sort of payback for all the Hell each of them had endured. The impatient lover had been in a hospital room once before to help her leave – at another time; her life had been in jeopardy as well. It was fitting in a way. It was that day when he realized that he was about to lose something he never had. He finally admitted that Olivia had become more than just a work partner or even friend in his life. She was something more. Someone he'd protect with every fiber of his being if need be, no matter the cost. Was it love? Peter deemed it was so, but didn't want to scare her, letting her make the first move. Almost losing him was the catalyst she needed to admit it. The near losses stacked up like a house of cards, and he feared them all being knocked over gain. This time, he vowed to never lose her again. There would be no more cards—no more bad hands—at stake for them.

A tender smile was offered to her as he set out to collect her things. The newly recovered woman embraced him and set out to engage her caring love in a deep kiss. Peter picked up the real estate trade paper that he had been reading in a near futile attempt at passing the time while he waited, before he drove the nurses and other staff crazy with his pattern of futile pacing. When the doctor came to get him, he heard one nurse say, "Thank God, 'Pacey' is leaving." Another younger one replied, "Too bad. I kind of liked watching him. His woman is really lucky." Peter could only grin at how wrong they were. _I'm the lucky one in more ways than I can ever hope to count._

A couple of red circles marked some houses that were for sale. He wanted to reassure Olivia that they needed to put this incident behind them and to no longer live in fear. They had a life to build together. As the excited boyfriend jabbered to his sweetheart, he noticed that she seemed… well… out of it, and she was definitely not processing his assessment of all the various attributes that they wanted in a home.

He cocked his head as he queried, "Liv, what's wrong? You are OK? The doctor said everything is going to be OK?" _Just as I relax and feel the clouds lifting, it seems that another storm is just on the horizon._

Then she said it. With a mixed look of hope, joy, and apprehension; his partner, friend, and lover announced that she was carrying a child.

_His child. Scratch that. Their child. _

_I'm going to be a father…We're going to have a baby!_

As it fully registered to her mate, Olivia watched as his worried expression due to her health status changed with a twinkle in his eyes, and small crinkles formed in the corners as his smile grew wide. He took her into his arms and they kissed to celebrate the new addition to their fledgling family. It wasn't ideal—he had planned on doing this right and marrying her before offspring entered the picture—but what was perfection in their lives? They lived an existence far from normal, but this announcement was just fine with him. He didn't care. He had Olivia safe and alive, and they had created a life out of their love for one another. Nothing else mattered.

This precious moment was witnessed by Walter and Astrid, both of whom had also greatly suffered the past year. It was refreshing that for once, there was tremendous reason to celebrate. The world had not ended, they were all alive, and the promise of a new generation was a testament to hope.

* * *

**Spring – Reiden Lake**

To have roots take hold and sink far into the nurturing ground of his childhood days, was never a life Peter had envisioned. Especially in this place that he once escaped and had mentally set on fire. When he had first came back to Boston, in another timeline, with Olivia, he had felt like great snarled tendrils were coming out of the ground, grabbing hold of him and tying him down; that flexible, woody ropes were coiling around him, crushing his every breath to the point of suffocation, when he had every inclination to run as far away as possible. He was ready to hang himself with those imaginary binds, just to escape being drawn into the life of a man he loathed. A man he despised only because he HAD once loved him, looked up to him, and was let down in the worst possible way a young boy who saw his father as larger than life could be.

He had listened to music a lot as a kid, of many genres. Peter refused to listen to Harry Chapin's "Cats in the Cradle" or Faster Pussycat's "House of Pain…" The scars ached even if the wound was healed.

That Peter Bishop did not stay in one place long enough to even make a path, let alone build a lasting foundation. He was an echo in every sense of the word. At this point, roots that had slowly sprung from the ground had become strong and had survived so much, that they earned a deep and widespread place in the earth. His fleeting presence in places and in people's lives had transformed into passionate, hot lava that tempered and solidified into bedrock for a new family to form, build and grow.

Change was possible for all of them. He, Olivia, Walter, had made an incredible transformation together; the most unlikely of people, molded into a family unit.

**§**


	2. Just Two Words

"Marry me." The two simple words came from a nearly breathless and sweat-adorned man, who as such, may have just acquired some much needed confidence to ask this question in all seriousness. The source of his breathlessness came in the form of the woman beside him, and she was equally competing for air along with him. She, of course, took the statement much like she always did.

"Ha, ha! OK, Peter." Olivia playfully shoved his shoulder a little as they snuggled together on a quilt strategically placed near a fireplace, which was happily glowing, and providing the only light that illuminated their bodies. She had heard him say this many times, without any real intention behind it. This was especially the case after some amorous activities, or just the simple act of bringing him coffee after a long night working in the lab or when he was studying.

It had been a gorgeous Saturday, and spring would be coming soon.

"Olivia… I'm serious."

Her face became one of tempted curiosity instead of playfulness.

Peter stood up, and wrapped himself in a plush, terry robe, and his hand fished a ring box out from its pocket. As the flames flickered and crackled, his trembling hands opened the velvet lined container to reveal a stunning vintage set ring with a single small diamond in the center. The effects of the flames only magnified its beauty.

Olivia's breath escaped her for a brief moment, and Peter made note of how the sparkles reflected in her beautiful green eyes. He swallowed heavily. Her eyes were definitely the most brilliant thing in this room, and he hoped to never forget the moment.

"It was the one that Walter gave to my mot… Elizabeth. Walter had said that any version of my mother would have wanted me to have it, to be given to my future wife."

Her eyes immediately found his, after she processed that this was actually happening now, and she smiled with a slight hint of bashfulness thrown in.

"Peter…"

_He actually looks uncharacteristically nervous and shaky. How could he have any doubt about what I'd say? Wife… I like to hear that word come from his lips. I never thought about that much before him. And everything that goes with it. His utterance of that word is as momentous as when I first conveyed my prophetic desire for a nursery to him. _

The gesture of such a ring was far more impressive to her than any expensive rock that he could have bought. Peter had been doing well with some lucrative investments that he had made. Also, Nina had offered him some equity in Massive Dynamic under the conditions that he would consult for her; that he would obtain his Masters through Doctorate; and that he would always put Olivia and their child first. The latter two were a given for him, but he was convinced to accept her very generous offer. This time's Nina Sharp was fully invested in Olivia as daughter, so if he wanted to be her son-in-law, he had to toe the line. Not very many men would put themselves under the supervision of their mother-in-law, and Olivia was quite amused by the arrangement.

She would always put her fledgling family first, and an expensive piece of gemstone did not figure into that equation. She and Peter were matched as far as what they both valued was concerned.

Peter felt compelled to speak further, and it was obvious that he had thought long and hard about the matter.

"Let me tell you a story that may or may not be relevant to my humble request. Keep in in mind that this is of course, from the overwritten timeline."

"When I was a teenager, I didn't have a whole lot of friends. I spent a lot of time sick, as you know, in and out of the doctor's office and hospitals all of the time. Now, in hindsight, I know that it was because my immune system was not quite acclimated to this world. I'm pretty lucky that I didn't die, to be quite honest… But anyway, there were a couple of kids that would visit me—geek types and social outcasts, too—because I had built a neat world of my own in order to deal with the periods of isolation and the loneliness of it all. I was really into comic books, science experiments, books, and piano.

"This girl… that piano… my playing… led to wooing her into my bed… actually, she was the one that made the moves. I was too nervous to budge, and equally fascinated as this was the first time I… well, you get the picture. I never told you about my first, and you may wonder why it is coming up now, of all times. The thing is… My mom came home earlier than expected that day. She saw the girl and me as we left my bedroom, and she pretty much put two-and-two together; especially since I must have looked like a stunned young buck in the scope of a determined hunter… But she didn't say anything for a while. Then one night, out of the blue, after a little bit too much to drink, she gave me this lecture about respecting women—even those who may not deserve it-and guarding my own heart."

"Mom had a right to be concerned. That girl screwed me, and I never saw her again. That really messed with me. I thought that I must have been lousy."

Olivia suppressed a chuckle, "Nothing like a bruised male ego. I'd say that you've reached a master's status in the art of pleasing a woman. Her loss."

Peter's assured smile and happiness at his lover's seal of approval faded into an expression of regret, as his gaze held Olivia's in a lock.

"The rogue that you picked up in Iraq was a persona that I created as a way to distance myself from all of the awkwardness and pain that I experienced as a child. My mother's words pretty much evaporated and the vapors were locked away in the recesses of some shelf in a room, when I was literally humping my way across Europe like an idiot twenty-something was apt to do. You wouldn't have even known that I had a caring, mother who had loved me very much. But I'd get a hint of her wisdom from time-to-time; my mother's whispers would resonate in my ear. I'd never physically hurt a woman, and nothing my handlers could do would change that. They knew this, so as a 'reward,' I got to deal with some of the other more unpleasant tasks. But I still played with too many hearts and kept mine frozen to prevent the same from happening to me. Even though it did… I couldn't help it when I fell for someone; but, we were like sugar and cyanide…"

"You, however, changed me. I meant every word when I once told you that you gave me a home—a place that I wanted to call home… With the baby on the way, I didn't want to… immediately ask about marriage. I didn't want you to think that knocking you up was the reason."

"Knocking me up? Oh how very, tactful, Mr. Bishop," she said in mock indignation as she rolled her eyes.

"Well, Ms. Dunham: If you want me to be more descriptive and accurate… I made you scream my name like a banshee, on multiple occasions I may add, and at some point during that time one of my sper…."

"That's enough," she laughed. " I was there, remember?"

"Of course, I do. I still have the ringing in my ears and the battle scars from your nails scratching down my back as I…" he finished the remainder of his words as a soft whisper in her ear; they simultaneously gave her chills and set her nerves into an electrical-charge-induced fire.

"I knew there was a reason I kept you around, she laughed. "Damn, that felt so good."

"You still haven't answered…"

Peter brought her back to the question at hand. There was no more putting it off. Olivia buried her head into his chest and took a deep breath as she burrowed into the soft cloth that was permeated with his essence.

"I want to stay around. Forever. For you, and for our child," her lover stated softly, as he held her.

Olivia pulled away from his chest, and his full attention fell on her face.

"I've considered the matter many times, and kept shoving it aside from the fear of unpleasant thoughts. Like those marriages of so many others that just didn't last. The truth is, Peter, I wondered about it in the old timeline—before you stepped into that infernal machine. But how could we even think about such a future? I had the feeling when you synced up with the device, that I'd never see you again—alive. Peter… I had a funeral planned in my head. I had already considered what I'd say for your eulogy. But, we were even cheated from that…"

"When I got to thinking about it – it's just really difficult not to feel grateful. What is worse? To watch a loved one die? Or to lose him completely, as if he was never in my life at all?"

"This is different, and I cannot compare the marriages of others to what we have. Having essentially known each other for 4 years; in that time, we've survived situations that were unimaginable. A piece of paper and rings won't matter. We are bound by this transcending love, and by the new life within me that was created from it."

The expectant mother gently took his hand and splayed out her fingers as she placed both of their hands, together, over her just-now-showing mid-section. She sweetly smiled to him, her eyes just slightly moist from the overwhelming emotions.

"I say yes, Peter Bishop. I have been your partner, your friend, your lover, and will be the mother of your child. I'll gladly add 'wife' to all that I am to you, and I _definitely_ want to make you my husband."

Peter finally exhaled because he had unconsciously held his breath as he waited for her to say 'yay' or 'nay.' He knew she'd agree, but being a cynic was not good for one's mental state; always standing over the figurative shoulder, second-guessing every decision made.

They had a night that was a bit less toned down compared to the ones they had spent together when they were sure that they had conceived the baby; but, it was the best, sweetest loving either of them had ever shared.


	3. UNITE

The couple arranged a small ceremony—nothing fancy. Just a few family and friends. They had considered waiting until after the baby was born, but life experiences had taught them that sometimes waiting for the so-called perfect time was not always the answer.

Olivia had chosen white tulips for their floral arrangements, but purple was definitely the bridal color.

Astrid catered all of the food, and had the assistance of a friend from the university, and her father. Which was good, because she had double duty in swatting the hands of the Bishop men, who only wanted a taste of her cooking. But Peter was so nervous; she swore that he had probably eaten a half-dozen pieces of chocolate-covered bacon before the wedding even started. His fidgety pacing was a source of laughter for her and her friends.

Walter observed his son becoming increasingly anxious, to the point of severe perspiration.

"Peter, son; sit down for a moment. It will do no good for you to have a heart attack before you even get to see your bride."

"One would think that after all we've been through that this would just be a formality, but the truth is… Dad… I am so nervous and irrationally afraid that I'll mess up!"

"Of course, you are afraid. It's change, and we humans are naturally afraid of changes. We're very much creatures of habit. And nothing quite changes a man's life more than a wife and child. But, Peter… I don't think that there is much that could come between you and Olivia after all you have overcome, together. It took losing…you… not once, but twice, to come between me and Elizabeth. The pain of losing a child, and destroying that same child for another family… It was just too much for anyone to endure."

Peter could tell that Walter was having a hard time talking about this with him. It had to be extremely difficult to vocalize. But the old man had come a long way since the adult version of his son was brought back to this timeline—a time when the man that was his boy was perceived more like a temptation than a much-needed second chance.

"What you and Olivia have it timeless. There is a bond between the both of you, that has proven that no matter the circumstances, the two of you will always come back together."

Tears fell down the older Bishop's face as he took put both hands on Peter's shoulders. The tiny droplets were more a symbol of the deep joy and pride that he felt. The older Bishop had never imagined that he'd be there, standing beside his purple-tuxedo-adorned son, as he awaited his marriage to the woman he loved, and that soon, he'd be a father as well.

"You will be a good husband to Olivia, because you are her friend and partner. You know her better than anyone, Son. You give her a solid launch pad and support for all she sets out to accomplish. You keep each other on the right path if one of the two falters. Olivia is everything I could have ever dreamed for in a wife for my son. She is honorable, driven, intelligent, strong, loyal, and beautiful; plus, she won't let you get away with being any less than the man she knows that you are capable of being, and that she deserves."

Peter beamed at his father's verbal account of his long-known approval of Olivia as his mate. "She is everything to me."

"Your children will be a great source of pride for you both, and will literally inherit the best of both worlds."

Peter's eyebrows raised and he shook his head as he laughed. "Children?"

Walter could only grin in return. "That is the plural of child—as in more than one. Why should good, intelligent parents, with means, settle for only one?"

"I can't say that I am adverse to the idea of a small tribe of Bishops, but for now, I just want to get through this wedding without fainting, and let's see if we can get this first little one out into the world without something going terribly wrong. You have to admit, the universes have it out for us."

"I think this time, you have a gift. A hero's reward for the both of you."

* * *

Olivia Dunham was very much the archetype soldier. When there was a job to do, she'd be the one with the dogged tenacity to see it through.

If she had been told that she'd be pregnant and engaged four years ago, she would have wondered if the person making such a prediction was high. Especially when the said other variable of those two equations was one Peter Bishop. (Of course, someone hoping for that very outcome—Walter—was probably high, and he made no attempt to cover up his hopes for these very outcomes.) The existence of a parallel universe would have surely made more sense to her.

She could not deny that she had loved John. But it was a very different kind of love. They ignited pretty much they day they met, and all of their time had to be spent in a clandestine manner.

Then there was Peter. The embers were there from the moment she met him, but she denied the smoldering that occurred every time that she looked at him, or whenever he said her name. All of the little things that just added up over time… kept making her walls chip away at the stone. It became obvious that he stuck around for more than just a need to acquire answers, or because Walter was growing on him. He cared for her, and she could not even admit that she would have been heartbroken if he had left. Then he really did leave, and oh... how that changed _everything_. Falling in love with someone sometimes isn't an immediate all out proposition at the start.

She relished holding his hand in public, and the occasional kiss or two, stolen whenever the moment felt right.

And now here they were. About to tie the knot, and she was on her way to becoming a mother.

_Mother._ It was a word that she had used many times. She loved her own mother dearly, but also watched the woman's life crumble due to marital issues. First, the loss of her father, a man she barely remembered, but the few things she did, reminded her of a sense of being—safe, of being loved.

_I hope that wherever you are momma, that you are proud of me, and happy for me this day._

Watching what Rachael had endured in the old timeline was no easier. Although, thankfully the source of their life alteration—their stepfather—was removed from this equation n the overwritten timeline. Rachel had a decent family life, and that gave Olivia hope._ Every person affects our lives, and every decision we make does, too._

Taking Peter into her heart, changed things forever.

_Will I become the boring suburban housewife? With kids in tow, and a high-powered job? No, this won't be the case. I will still carry on with my work, but the inevitable will happen… There will be a time when duty and family clash. Split decisions will need to be made. In the past, I seriously questioned my emotional responses to precarious situations involving people dear to me. Today, I'm pretty sure that if it came down to Peter and/or our child, they'd win. But this proverbial problem occurs for almost every hero—real or imagined. If you have something dear to you - that love can be used against you. But in the end, what am I fighting for? If not for the people that I love, and who love me with equal fervor?_

_I am at peace now with this choice. Sometimes you can't commit your life to putting out fires for the world while your own life seeks something a bit more— normal. We have saved universes several times. A little selfishness is in order._

* * *

Of course, there is selfishness, and then there is selfishness. When a child is involved, one must be also balancing a type of selflessness.

Over the past few weeks, a lot of attention was given to the new life that was becoming more and more an individual with each passing day. Although, while Walter was overjoyed with the pregnancy, he was keen to point out that the fetus was just that… and the parents could tell that he was concerned about the physical development of their offspring. And for good reason. Peter worried about everything that could go wrong due to how their respective pasts might have affected their reproductive capabilities.

Olivia and Peter were leaning towards calling it a miracle. Neither of them were believers in miracles in the divine or superstitious sense, but the events that culminated in the development of this soon-to-be-child seemed to be more than just mere accidents.

Walter expressed interesting thoughts concerning how he didn't even think that Peter could father children in this universe, due to the slight differences in resonating frequencies. But, he surmised that this exact reason may be why Olivia fell pregnant, despite having an implant for birth control; possibly, her defenses just didn't realize they were being "assaulted," so to speak. Things had to sync absolutely perfectly.

Then they had the worry that this dueling resonance may cause issues with the child.. but, so far, the fetus was healthy and developing normally.

It didn't help matters much that William Bell just evaporated into thin air, as far as Walter could tell. Peter swore that he'd kill him if he ever appeared again—no matter what it took. Olivia had never seen such a look on his face before. Both of them feared that if Bell did show up, that he'd take a keen interest in their child. Given that all indications pointed to the fact that the Cortexiphan fears they had were unwarranted, Olivia was still not completely convinced that such an event did not alter their child in some manner. After all, she was dosed with a tremendous amount of the drug before the baby's conception.

* * *

"So, you're really going into this with both feet, Liv." Rachel said with a hint of giddiness as she fussed with the final bits of Olivia's hair and makeup.

"I've known Peter for a long time. I just couldn't let you know because…"

Rachel finished the sentence, "It's confidential."

"OK, I am going to quit playing the concerned little sister here; because there really is no reason for me to doubt your decision. Even though I've only been around him a few times, a person can just give off this vibe, you know. I can see it in everything about him, Liv. In his looks at you when you look at him. In his adoring glances at you when you're aren't looking at him. That man loves you with every fiber of his being. Ella and Eddie both love him, and already call him their uncle."

"He seems to meet you on a level playing field. So, if you met under some government shenanigans years ago… Well, I thank what ever happened to spark a full blown romance between you. You're just really good at never kissing and telling. I had no clue at all you were involved with anyone until you told me that you were having a baby! I am incredibly happy for you, and welcome Peter as my brother-in-law."

Olivia smiled, and hugged her sister. "The support means the world to me." She looked into the mirror, and was stunned at how wonderful she looked.

"Ok, it's a go. Are you ready, Olive?"

"Strangely enough, yes. I am ready to walk down that aisle with Nina and Philip."

* * *

When the final moments came; the vows exchanged; the rings slipped onto fingers - there wasn't a dry eye in the place. After so much that sought to keep them apart, Olivia and Peter were officially united.


End file.
